Shadows of the Chained
by FaeSong
Summary: Aura Farrow is a pureblood witch of a long, Dark bloodline. In the first war, she remained anonymous, though she worked in the background of the Order. She was shy. Meek. Kind. Then her muggle-born best friend was killed by Death Eaters. Now she wants revenge, and she'll go to the very heart of the pit of vipers to get it. Severus Snape is not the only spy in the Dark Lord's camp.
1. Chapter One: Introducing, Auralynn Lydia

_Hey y'all! It's good to be back to writing, and I'm sorry to anyone who was reading my previous stories. Long story short, my computer went kaput and I lost it all. Everything I didn't have backed up is being rewritten, and I decided to just revise all my stories since I had still everything in their raw forms anyway. So, here's a new one. I hope you enjoy, and would love to hear any thoughts you might have!_

_Blessings,_

_Fae_

**Shadows of the Chained**

Chapter One: Introducing, Auralynn Lydia Farrow

Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was proud to be called the school's most feared professor. It was an image he not only embraced, but actively cultivated. Stalking through the halls, robes swirling about him, he had a talent for ousting rule-breakers and punishing them accordingly.

At the moment though, he was not stalking the halls of the ancient castle. In fact, it was nearing the end of the summer holiday and he was ensconced in his private lab, brewing for all he was worth. His current experiment required every ounce of his attention. This was what he loved. The shimmering lilac and navy contents of the cauldron swirled around themselves and his silver stirring rod, creating their own pseudo-dance in his line of sight. He needed to finish this particular experiment soon. It was an improved version of an earlier brew he'd created to counteract the lingering effects of prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus curse. This formula included ingredients to induce mind-healing and calm the patient, as well as treating the physical symptoms more efficiently than the current formula. With the Dark Lord in the open now, he knew well that it would be needed, and not just for himself.

Severus continued his work until late into the night. If he had it his way, the project would be finished by morning. Around one, it was time in the brewing process to add the final experimental ingredient. Carefully – knowing full well the possibly disastrous consequences of adding it to hastily – the potions master tipped the finely ground mandrake stems into the swirling cauldron.

It was a spectacular failure.

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Meanwhile, as if in rebellion of the awful weather outside her tiny flat, Auralynn Farrow was humming to herself lightly as she packed her trunk for the upcoming move. Though she knew she could do the job with a quick flick of the wand, she'd chosen not to use the charm because she had far too much nervous energy to burn off. Her surroundings were nothing spectacular: a somewhat shabby apartment, hidden from muggles in the middle of London. She'd been living in the flat ever since she'd left her family seat to escape her brothers and parents, just out of Hogwarts so many years ago. The little old woman she paid rent to was kind, and she had a tendency to mother Aura; especially come holiday time. Though she'd never accepted the numerous invitations to dine, the thought had always touched the younger witch. And now she was giving it up.

The next morning, she intended to apparate into Hogsmead, a little all-wizarding village in Scotland. From there, she would walk to the great castle that housed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where her new teaching post – Defense Against the Dark Arts – awaited her. It was ironic, really: the daughter of one of the most reclusive, Dark, pureblooded families in the Wizarding World, teaching in this particular post. The Farrows were known for their affinity with the Dark Arts in all their forms, and for their tendency to keep to themselves. Of her elder brothers, one was a Potions Master known for the insidious effects of his creations and for supplying the Dark Lord's forces with them, and the other was a sworn Death Eater, though he'd never been convicted. Farrow money could be thanked for _that_. And that didn't even touch on what Aura herself was…

She was not – and had never been – close to any of her family, her now long-deceased parents included. In school, she'd been a quiet, bookish Ravenclaw with little to say to those around her. She'd never shared her kin's feelings on blood-status, her best friend – and the only one ever able to draw the shy girl out of her shell – having been a muggle-born witch in Hufflepuff. Her brothers, four and six years her senior, took after their parents in their dislike of her "lack of loyalty" to her blood. Time spent in the family's manor was _not_ remembered fondly. No, her fond memories all centered around Hogwarts, hence the barely contained edge of excitement at the prospect of returning as a professor keeping her awake now.

"Just don't make a bloody fool of yourself, girl," she murmured softly to herself as she tucked the last book neatly into her trunk.

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"Headmaster!" the silky voice of the Potions professor protested smoothly, "I am _more_ than qualified to teach…" He was cut off.

"Yes Severus," Dumbledore said, not unkindly, "Nevertheless, I intend to bring Miss Farrow in for the position. You will remain where you are." Severus sneered at the name. The Farrows were pureblood-supremists to the last one, known for their love of the foulest of magics. That his mentor would think to hire one, and the youngest no less, was nothing short of ridiculous. With a fierce scowl, he stalked out of the headmaster's office and down toward the dungeons. The chit would be arriving soon and he had no intention of being anywhere near her until he had sufficient ammunition with which to berate her.

Just as he was passing through the entrance hall, the door opened a fraction with a wooden groan. Despite himself, Severus stopped to see who it was coming into the castle; to observe unobserved, he hoped. Instead of a person though, an old battered trunk floated through the door and landed with a dull _thunk_. Curious, he moved towards it, but stopped when a bag followed it through, landing at his feet. Finally, a small witch with extremely long, pin-straight, golden-blond hair and calm, pretty brown eyes all but stumbled through after her belongings, only to find herself staring up at the dour Potions Master. With a quirky grin she lifted the hand not clutching a wand and offered a shy little wave.

"Hello. I am Auralynn Farrow. Is there any chance you could direct me to the Headmaster's office?" she asked pleasantly. Severus sneered down at her.

"No." Her grin faltered a bit.

"Ah… I see… Well, thank you anyway Mr…"

"It is _Professor_ Snape." And with that, the great bat of the Hogwarts dungeons turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving a seemingly bewildered woman alone at the door of the castle with her things. Part of Aura _was_ a little bewildered. She knew that this man was in the same precarious position as she, in regards to the brewing war, but she hadn't had direct contact with him since their time in school. And soon, she knew she was going to put him in great danger.

With a sigh, she hefted the bag over her shoulder and levitated the trunk. _Not the greatest of starts_, she thought as she moved inward further into her former school. As if in a dream, she glanced around. Everything was very much the same as it had been in her own schooldays. She and Lissel Carver, her best friend, had had so many good memories of this place. The thought of her friend sent a pang straight through the witch's chest. She had to firmly shake herself and go in search of the Headmaster. Her role as the new, slightly clumsy professor dictated that she find a guide. The castle was a warren of halls, stairs, rooms, and corridors; that much she remembered quite clearly, as she'd gotten lost in them often enough as a student.

Somehow – and she wasn't sure why – the castle was more disconcerting now that she no longer had the excuse of being a child. Quietly, appearing lost and wandering the halls in search of help, Aura made her way toward the tower that housed the Owlery.

As she opened the door, a kind voice greeted, "Hello Miss Farrow. It is pleasant to see you again."

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Aura replied coolly, recognizing the headmaster, ascertaining that they were alone at once, and dropping the cheerful, absent façade. "I am glad you tracked me here."

"Being the Headmaster has its perks my dear. Some of the paintings informed me of a young lady wandering the castle. I surmised it might be you and went in the same direction," Dumbledore explained amusedly.

"I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience, sir," she mumbled, her shy streak rearing its head, "but I did not think appearing to know the castle too well was wise."

"Quite alright my dear, quite alright. Shall we return to my office then?"

"Please," she said with a short nod.

With a benign smile, he led her from the Owlery. Aura nudged her trunk into motion with her wand and followed. As they walked, Dumbledore asked after her trip and her health and she responded in kind. By the time they reached the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's office, she was slightly more comfortable with the man she'd spent what seemed like an eternity reporting to, not that she showed it any more than she'd allowed the original discomfort to show. A blank façade was always the safer course.

The office was spectacular, even more so than Aura remembered. It had been quite a while since she'd been there, having insisted on meeting outside the school after that first few covert meetings to establish their plans and routines. There were countless indefinable, whirring objects and various colorful paintings of previous headmasters. The desk was piled with parchment and a very handsome red quill sat atop the stacks. Numerous bookshelves lined the walls, filled to the brim, making the ever-studious girl green with envy. She knew there would certainly be exceedingly rare tomes amongst his collection. The bird-perch beside the ornate desk was empty at the moment, but she remembered from her time as a student that Dumbledore was rumored to have a phoenix as a familiar. Appropriate. The painted headmasters stared at the newcomer, some pleasantly, some curiously, and some balefully. She ducked her head when she saw that Dumbledore was watching her take it all in in silence, and with no small amount of amusement shining in his kind blue eyes.

"I find that I accumulate a great many strange odds and ends. However, I never seem to have enough socks," he said to put her more at ease. She was quite unsure how to respond, but settled on a smile. When she said nothing, he continued blithely with, "Can I interest you in some tea?" As it was nearing eleven a.m. and she'd forgone consuming anything that morning in her now well-concealed nerves, Aura was quite glad for the offer and accepted gratefully. Dumbledore summoned a house-elf, who then brought not only tea, but an assortment of scones, cakes, and biscuits as well. Raised as a pureblooded lady as she was, Aura automatically took the job of pouring their tea into the fine porcelain cups and then served the snacks, taking a small scone for herself.

"I'd forgotten just how _wicked_ the food was here," she said happily after taking a bite of her berry-laden scone. She then proceeded to blush as she realized how childish she sounded when she'd said it. It was an odd feeling for the woman, who hadn't felt young or innocent in a very, very long time. She wondered why this kind, brilliant old man brought it out in her.

"Yes, it is rather, isn't it?" he replied with a chuckle.

"Shall we… err… Shall we discuss my job then Headmaster?" Aura asked after a minute.

"It is quite simple, Miss Farrow," he replied, "The text itself has already been assigned. You have three weeks until the students will arrive, in which time you may design your lesson plans. The covered material in this class has been a bit erratic, save for the year Remus Lupin held the position. Your salary will be deposited into your account at Gringotts at the beginning of the term."

"Right. That… that sounds lovely. I am quite sure I can construct a plan… but… Well, you _do_ know that I have never taught large groups of children, sir… right?" she replied uneasily. This new post as a teacher, on top of her other duties… Though she'd never admit it aloud, she was a little apprehensive.

"Oh am certain you will pick up on it quickly. It is not too terribly different from private tutoring," he waved away her concerns, fully confident in her abilities.

When Dumbledore had chosen to contact Aura about the post, he knew that she'd been tutoring privately on and off in various European countries since her graduation from Hogwarts; at least, until the summer she'd joined Voldemort's ranks. When in school herself, her grades were impeccable, and having her in the castle would give him the opportunity to keep an eye on her wellbeing as she worked against Voldemort. She was an outstanding witch when it came to charms, and an expert duelist, as well as having mastered a few very ancient, and very powerful magics. He knew also that her parents had made sure she'd had quite a lot of supplemental lessons when she was a child, few of which he approved. Despite her familial connections, Auralynn Farrow was not well-known; nor had she ever been affluent or influential. In fact, the girl seemed to do everything in her power to keep herself _out_ of politics, society, and – perhaps especially – conflicts altogether. To all outward appearances, her life was a simple one for the most part, ever since she'd left her family home. After the debacle of the Ministry-appointed professor the year before, he was admittedly glad to have confidence in the abilities of Miss Farrow, whatever her family ties were.

"I do hope so, Headmaster," she said sincerely.

"As to your living arrangements," Dumbledore continued, "You shall have a classroom with an attached office, as well as personal quarters that consist of an en suite bedroom and a sitting-room. I will have someone show you to both the class and your quarters as soon as we have finished our tea, if that is amenable to you. Is there anything at all that you need?"

"Oh… uhm…" she hemmed, surprised by the question. She had already thought out the structure of her lessons, and though she had to appear harmless and innocent – even a little bumbling – she would make sure these children were equipped to handle the coming storm. "I don't yet know Headmaster. I suppose I'll have to see what is provided in the classroom and office. I can owl-order anything I need though. I would hate to inconvenience anyone."

"Very well," he said happily, "Anything you purchase for the lessons will, of course, be reimbursed to you."

"Oh! That's… Alright, thank you sir."

From there, their conversation turned to other, darker matters as they finished their tea. Aura was, admittedly, a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of her new job, and was glad she'd had plenty of practice maintaining an easy façade.

"I hope you know, my dear, that your position here is meant to help you in your other endeavors," Dumbledore said kindly, but there was a knowledge glinting in his eye that she was not entirely sure of.

"Of course, Headmaster," she replied easily, "Thank you."

"Is there anything that is not class-related that you wish to discuss my dear?" he asked. Aura smirked. Of course he knew.

"As a matter of fact, yes," she conceded smoothly, not at all surprised that the almost omnipotent old wizard was aware of her scheming. "I believe I have climbed as high as possible on my own sir," she continued. The words would have been cryptic to anyone but Dumbledore, but he understood her meaning perfectly.

"And you seek information that will give you the step you now need to climb higher," he replied.

"Just so."

"Somehow, my dear, I suspect that you already have a plan."

"Indeed," she agreed evenly. He was not going to like this. "I propose to hand him a traitor he's been harboring in his presence. I would suggest, Headmaster, that you do not send said traitor back into the snake pit, if you seek to preserve his life." Her tone had turned from pleasant, even friendly, to cool and calculating in a breath. And her proposition… Dumbledore regarded Aura worriedly for a moment.

"I confess, I am not certain you see the ramifications of this action clearly. To do something like this would place him…"

"Which is why I offer you the chance to tell him now," she interrupted. "Let me make myself plain, Headmaster." Her back was impeccably straight and her head high. There would be no backing down from this. "Even my spell-crafting will raise me no higher in the Dark Lord's estimation. My cover as the meek sister of one of his advisors – while it is quite useful in that it often allows me to be forgotten and unobserved – ensures that he will not see me as more useful than I already am. To hand him a traitor's name will allow me to advance. My word will bear more weight, and I will be trusted with more important information. Further, I believe my brother is gathering evidence of his true allegiances with the intent of using them to gain favor. I am almost certain of it, and he will present said evidence with flash and drama in front of the company. If that happens, I will not be able to protect him… This is necessary."

"I see." The headmaster's fingers were steepled in front of his face, and he peered over them thoughtfully as she spoke.

"It is quite simple sir," she finished coldly, meeting his gaze head on. "I _will_ be presenting the Dark Lord with the name of his betrayer before my brother does. I suggest you make sure there are protections for the man in place, and that he is informed immediately of his betrayal."

"There is no persuading you…"

"Certainly not," she replied in a clipped voice, but then it turned a little warmer. "While I greatly respect the work of your previous spy, there are ways of gaining information at my disposal that are not available to him." Her eyes softened a little. "Besides," she added, "he has been working at your behest for quite a long time. Though it places him in danger, is it not time to free him from the madman? Give him some semblance of a life back?"

"And what of you? You will be alone in the enemy's camp, my dear." Aura chuckled, albeit darkly, and brushed off his words.

"He is not even aware of the placement of another spy, so it is not as if his presence or absence changes anything for me," she said, "In fact, it will be one less factor that I will have to worry about while I work."

Dumbledore watched his new professor with knowing, piercing blue eyes for a moment. There was no doubt that she was brilliant, both in her chosen field and others, but he worried for the girl. In the first war, she'd quietly done research and spell development for the Order, refusing to allow her name to be placed on anything she offered. He'd known at the time that it was because, though she possessed a keen mind and true heart, she was cripplingly shy. She had also worried that her family ties would ostracize her from the other members, though she'd never said as much. It seemed that in the years of relative peace, she'd grown and learned, but she'd also hardened. She had become quite the excellent spy, and her work for the Order was incredibly detailed and useful. Many lives had been saved on her word. Still, she refused to allow her name to be given to the other members, and her quiet role in the first war had given her the edge of being completely unknown to both sides.

When she'd contacted him, shortly after Voldemort's rise, with the offer to spy… Well, he'd been skeptical, to say the least. He'd remembered a meek, if brilliant student, who could not keep her feelings from her face because a blush always betrayed her at the slightest embarrassment. The woman he'd met, that first night after she was marked, was composed and anything but meek. In the intervening years of relative quiet, she'd gone from a shy little student to a hardened, but still kind woman who would do anything in her power to stop the madman that sought to take over their world. To this day, he did not know entirely what had brought about this change, but he suspected it had a great deal to do with the torture and murder of her best friend: a muggle-born student from her year in school.

"Will you keep him safe?" Aura asked bluntly, interrupting the man's thoughts.

"If you are sure this is the best course," he agreed solemnly. She drew a deep breath, almost a sigh.

"I believe this is the _only_ course, sir, or I'd never have suggested it. You must inform him soon. It will not be long before I am summoned again, now that I have this position."

Neither said anything more, but Aura poured more tea into both their cups. When they finished with their refreshments and stood, Dumbledore moved to the fire burning brightly on one wall, took a bit of floo powder, and stuck only his head into the green flames.

"Severus," she heard him call, "Can you step through please? I find I am in need of a bit of your time."

There was a muffled reply that she couldn't quite hear, and then the headmaster stepped back. A second later, the flames flared green again and a black-clad figure came through gracefully. Immediately, Aura reverted to the shy, clumsy new professor she'd been before she was alone with the Headmaster. She eyed his sanguine form a little enviously: for a long time she hadn't been able to use the floo system without falling and making a mess of herself, due to her innate clumsiness that even her mother couldn't seem to rid her of. In fact, said clumsiness hadn't left her until she'd begun her training in muggle martial arts. When her eyes reached his face though, she was admittedly a bit taken aback. He was still scowling fiercely at her now, not that he seemed to be capable of anything _but_ scowling. _Well_, she thought, _I can certainly see he is determined to make this difficult. Two can play at that game._

"_Professor_ Snape," she greeted evenly with a small nod, hoping her cool tone covered the shiver of fear that coursed through her. His onyx eyes seemed to penetrate. It took less than a second before Aura strengthened her Occlumency shields. It was done subconsciously, but she knew well that he was an accomplished Legillimense, and she wasn't about to take any chances.

Severus was a little startled by her cold greeting. She'd been so cheerful earlier – despite his rudeness – and when her shields slammed up so forcefully, it startled him even further. He hadn't even been trying to access her mind… The power behind her instinctive reaction had to be great for him to have felt it without trying.

"Ah, I see you've already met," Dumbledore said, seemingly oblivious to the sudden tension between the professors. Severus shot him a look: he knew better than to believe the "oblivious old man" act.

"Briefly," he allowed shortly.

"Professor Snape so _graciously_ greeted me when I arrived this morning," Aura added snidely. He clenched his jaw at her sarcasm. It was quite annoying to have the trait turned back on him, however often he employed it himself.

"Splendid!" the headmaster said with a clap of his hands, "Then I have chosen the perfect person to show you to your classroom and quarters."

"H… Him, sir!?" Aura spluttered convincingly.

At the same time as she spoke, Severus spat, "Pardon?" incredulously.

"Yes, yes. I believe it is quite appropriate. You see, Professor Farrow, Professor Snape has covered Defense classes for various professors in the past," he answered them both, still seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere.

"I am not a tour guide Headmaster, nor am I a babysitter," Severus sneered nastily.

"And I need neither," Aura added indignantly, quickly becoming just as annoyed as her counterpart.

"The castle is quite easy to get lost in my dear," Dumbledore reminded her with a small smile, "and you have not been here since your own school days." She flushed, making Severus wonder just why she was embarrassed. Of course, he had no way of knowing that she wasn't likely to get lost, even in the extensively complex castle, as she'd studied the structure in detail. Nor could he know that the blush was fabricated. Another, much more repressed part of his brain was contemplating just how pretty that light flush of her cheeks was. He pushed the idle thought away viciously and scowled down at the girl. _She doesn't look to be old enough to be a professor of anything_, he realized suddenly, but further thoughts were cut off by the subject of them speaking again.

"I… I suppose you are correct Headmaster," she admitted evenly. The other professor wondered how much it cost her to make the admission and smirked at the thought of her discomfiture.

"Severus?"

"Very well, Headmaster," he answered shortly, then turned to his new colleague. "Come." With that, he offered Dumbledore a short bow and turned on his heel. Hastily, Aura nodded to her new employer and cast a quick levitation charm on her trunk, which had lowered to the office floor some time ago. Aura followed her fellow professor at almost a jog to keep up with his long strides. Severus didn't even glance back.

"Professor Snape!" she finally snapped and halted after 'tripping' for the fourth time, her call making him pause, however unwillingly. Her voice was like ice as she continued, "While I am aware that this situation is as distasteful to you as it is to me, that is no reason to run me bloody ragged! It is a childish attempt to get your petty revenge because the Headmaster is wasting your time on me, and I will not allow it." Slowly, as if entirely unaffected by her ire, Severus turned around and stalked back to loom over his coworker.

"While I am aware, _Miss Farrow_, that you are apparently too clumsy to keep up," he sneered, mimicking her wording mockingly, "that is no reason for me to waste my entire day playing chaperone. If you please…" and he stalked away again, no slower than before. With a huff, Aura followed again. No more was said until they were outside a closed classroom door.

"The Defense classroom," Severus said shortly. She nodded curtly and opened the door. Inside, she saw that the room was unbearably bare. Student desks sat in neat rows, with her modest instructor's desk near the far wall. The stone walls hosted absolutely nothing, save a few empty bookshelves and cabinets pushed up against them. She knew the students would provide their own set books, but she made a mental note to bring some of her personal texts for supplemental purposes. If she remembered correctly, the professor of the course when she was in Hogwarts had been rather lackluster. The school had seen many different inhabitants since, but the feel of the bare room reminded her of her own time as a student in the class. It was an odd feeling, returning as a professor.

"You may return and fawn over your new position when I am _not_ being inconvenienced by it, if you please Miss Farrow," she heard Snape say snidely from the door. The idea of stalling, just to cause annoyance, crossed her mind, but it was swiftly discarded. She was quite ready to see her chambers and unpack her meager belongings.

"That door leads to my office?" she asked, gesturing to a door at the top of a small staircase at the far side of the room. Severus nodded curtly. He wasn't sure what to make of this… girl… She was obviously raised as a pureblood princess; that much was evident in her mannerisms alone. Though he was sure his needling was not going unnoticed, she showed no more than mild irritation at his rudeness: keeping the proper aloof indifference. And by the fact that she'd unintentionally displayed the unique talent of occlumency, which was rarely seen outside of pureblood lines (his own talent for it – and the Dark Lord's –not withstanding). Still, despite these traits, she'd been perfectly affable at first – even cheerful – and her clothes showed nothing of the expected wealth and pretention that should come with her name. Her robe was made of sturdy blue cotton that was bordering on being tattered, and covered a plain, long dress of soft brown; neither were anything any Farrow should be caught wearing. She carried with her only one bag and a trunk, and, though he knew that the size was not indicative of what they contained in their world, they were both well-worn and practical. As of yet, she'd displayed no undue arrogance or superiority – except when provoked. And when provoked, she kept up with his own temper fairly well, trading insults as snidely and subtly as he did. All in all, it was a rather disconcerting mixture, especially brought together in a diminutive – and admittedly quite pretty – witch, such as she was.

At the moment, said diminutive witch was staring around the room again as if envisioning something entirely spectacular. She took a step back, clearly thinking about something, and promptly tripped over the trunk that stood just behind her. With surprising reflexes, Severus moved forward to steady her. He did so, much to her chagrin, with a faintly annoyed sneer. She knew full well that the only things keeping her from a painful meeting with the floor were his slender hands on her waist. Once again, Aura felt the creeping heat of a blush spread over her cheeks. This time it was not feigned. When she stepped back, her mind somewhat guiltily on the coming plan of betraying this man to their 'master', her intention had not been to cement the image of a clumsy girl. Though, in hindsight, it was convenient.

"Do you make it a habit of falling over your own feet?" he spat, setting her to rights abruptly the second he realized what he'd done, wishing fervently that he hadn't. Once she was firmly planted on her feet, he stepped back, eyeing her with no small amount of disdain.

"Of course not," she returned crisply, despite the embarrassment painted on her cheeks, "I do so only when it serves to inconvenience and annoy _you_."

To his abject horror, Severus was slightly amused by her reply.

"Kindly refrain from doing so in my presence again. You look like a bumbling child," he sneered. Aura shocked him (and herself) soundly by bursting out laughing. Her laugh was full and pleasant. He merely arched an eyebrow, obviously questioning her sanity.

"My apologies," Aura said as her laughter subsided, "but it was funny."

"And what exactly amuses you?" he demanded angrily, thinking she was mocking him.

"I am a scant few years your junior, Professor Snape." Severus' other eyebrow joined the first one, which was still raised in silent, questioning derision.

"Impossible," he replied stiffly.

"Oh, I assure you, it is true," she said breezily, "Shall we continue on before I trip again and increase your aggravation? I would dearly like to unpack and settle in."

In response, the dour Potions Master, nodded jerkily and made for the door. A second's thought of politeness made him pause and almost offer to levitate her things for her, but it was firmly pushed aside. Aura did note, however, that his pace was not _quite_ as far ahead of hers as it had been previously, and she couldn't help but smirk a little. _Caustic and cold he may be_, she thought with a little surprise, _but deep down he has some courtesy in him_.

As he led the new professor to her quarters – which were unfortunately not located anywhere near her classroom – Severus contemplated the validity of her declaration that he was only a few years her elder. It was simply not possible. She looked as if she could almost be mistaken for one of the seventh-year students… _Well_, he admitted, if only to himself, _not quite that young_. Still, certainly not his age. He was moving towards his upper-thirties, though not quite there yet. Eventually, almost at the end of the silent walk to her quarters, he'd phrased his query sufficiently so that it masked his curiosity with sneering superiority.

"Do you mean to tell me, _Miss Farrow_, that a member of one of the most prestigious families in the wizarding world attended Hogwarts at the same time as I, and did not feel the need to make herself known to everyone within earshot on a regular basis? I think not," he sneered.

"Mmm," Aura hmmmed noncommittally, still – by all appearances – trying to keep up. "Actually, it was quite the opposite. I could hardly bear the attention of a teacher asking me a question, let alone the entire house or, Merlin forbid, the school." She was quite aware of the attention her name brought, and generally rather ashamed of it. The associations with the Farrow name were less than favorable.

Severus considered her rather frequent blushing momentarily, but brushed it off and snorted disbelievingly. "And I am to believe that we shared a common room for years and our paths never crossed?" They were approaching her quarters now – not that she knew that – and he subtly slowed his pace to have time for her to answer his snide query.

"Oh no," she said, well aware of his curiosity and, frankly, amused by it. "You would have shared a common room with my elder brothers, but not me. I wasn't a Slytherin." Severus stopped in his tracks and stared at his new unwanted colleague.

"A Farrow not in Slytherin?" he asked, surprised. Aura smiled, thinking, _and I was so hoping he wasn't so very typical…_

"Quite the disappointment to my venerable parents, I assure you," she replied archly, making perfectly clear by her tone that she found his assessment rather… plebian. Severus' mouth thinned to a hard line, annoyed, and he turned on his heel again. No more than a few meters away, he indicated a handsome painting of a mountainous landscape, which was populated by a beautiful, lone silver wolf.

"Your quarters, Miss Farrow. I shall assume you have no more need of my time, and leave you to your unpacking," he said tightly.

"Professor," Aura said firmly.

Thinking he was being addressed, and frustrated with the further claim on his time, Severus bit out, "Yes?"

"I am a professor of Hogwarts, _Professor_ Snape, and – as such – I will thank you to at least pretend to address me with the respect I deserve," Aura said, displaying her snide, sarcastic temper rather well with an elegantly arched brow and a sneer that rivaled the Potions Master's own. For a second, he stared at her, clearly fighting back fury. His eyes narrowed and his hands almost itched to draw his wand and hex her silly, but he kept himself in check, merely bowing so shallowly that it could not be mistaken for anything other than an insult. He said nothing more before stalking away, robes billowing ominously.

Once Aura was in her own chambers – with her door closed and immediately warded with even more strength than the school's wards already in place – she set down her things and leaned against the wall tiredly. It was going to be a long year. She just hoped that Severus Snape continued in his overt dislike for her and left her in peace. If anyone could discover her secrets, it was a man like him. And she had no intention of revealing her role to _any_ member of the Order of the Phoenix. To do so would be asking to have her position found out by the wrong people. Besides, no one in their right mind would trust a _Farrow_, not that she could really blame them. Her information would be questioned… Lives could be lost… No, it was much more desirable to remain in the background; safer for all involved.

Finally, after a long minute of simply resting her eyes and her mind, she stood back up and surveyed her surroundings. The room was cozy, warmer and more inviting than she was used to. It boasted a small sofa with a table in front, and a chair next to a bookshelf. Aura smiled at that. Her book collection was extensive, and she was certain that that chair would easily become a favorite of hers in the little free time she had. A small, higher table sitting against one wall would be perfect for her tea service, and a fire burned cheerily in the grate near the sofa. Her first action was to ward that cheerful fire against anyone flooing in. The Headmaster wouldn't be surprised by it, she knew. When it came to security, a spy had no choice but to be paranoid, and a fire open to a floo connection was asking for unwanted visitors. With that task done, she levitated her belongings and moved into the bedroom, which was through a door off the sitting room.

Again, it was a warm room. Homey. The bed was spread in simple grey and white striped linens, and the window – which was quickly charmed to reflect out, but let no one see in – was draped with soft lace curtains. Aura, always a fan of lace, smiled at the simple touches. It seemed the Headmaster was trying to make her feel at home in the castle; to make her duty easier, and make her as comfortable as possible. It was a kind gesture. A floor mirror sat to the side of the washroom door and a wardrobe was on the wall opposite the bed. Candles, both wall-mounted and on the bedside tables, gave the room a lovely light. She thought she could become used to this… It was a far cry from the shabby apartment she'd been living in for so many years.

Unpacking did not take long, and once everything was arranged meticulously the way she wanted it, Aura was ready to call it a day. Of course, it was far too early (only a little past noon) to do so, so she decided to head to the Great Hall and see what sort of food was available for the few staff members in the castle. Most wouldn't arrive back until a week before the students were due, so the entire castle was eerily empty at the moment.

So, she quickly shed her blue traveling robe for a lighter, pale grey robe with pink embroidery at the hem, cuffs, and high collar. Her clothes were all rather old fashioned, she knew, but she'd been raised traditionally and didn't much care for current fashions. Once a pretty, silver-backed hairbrush was pulled through her hair to restore it to its sleekness, she was ready to go.

As expected, there were few inhabitants in the Hall. The headmaster was absent, but Minerva McGonagall was seated at the single table kept for their use during the summer holiday. Unfortunately, she was accompanied by Professor Snape, who noted her appearance, but said nothing. It took a moment for the other woman to even notice that they'd been joined by the newest staff member. When she looked up at Severus' pointed glance, her eye traveled over Aura critically.

"Hello Professor McGonagall," Aura said quietly, sticking to the meekness that had followed her all through her school years. It was good to see her old professor again.

"Miss Farrow," McGonagall replied, but her words were somewhat clipped and stilted. _What was Albus thinking_, she wondered, _to hire this girl? She couldn't stand up to a Hinkypunk, let alone a dark wizard. Now is not the time to be experimenting with Defense classes!_ Without another word, Aura took a seat across from her fellow professors and doled out some of the thick, hearty stew waiting to be eaten. She allowed a blush to rise to her cheeks as one of her table companions stared at her, and the other glared.

"It is good to see you again, Miss Farrow," Minerva finally said, trying to break the tense silence. With Severus there though, it was nigh on impossible to do so.

As if to prove this, he sneered, "_Professor_ Farrow is quite firm on how she is to be addressed Minerva."

"Oh no," Aura protested, head shooting up and eyes widening convincingly. "Not at all! In fact, if you don't mind, I would prefer to go by my given name." This was addressed directly to the animagus. Innocence warred with embarrassment on her face, and again Severus was struck with how young she appeared. Minerva, for her part, was distinctly uncomfortable. Clearly, there was some tension between the Potions Master and the new Defense Mistress, and she had a feeling it had little to nothing to do with rivalry over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts. She knew well enough that the rumors of Severus' coveting the position were just that: rumors. He was quite happy in his dungeons, brewing, though she knew teaching was not one of his more favorite pastimes. No, this had nothing to do with school.

"Of course," she agreed uncomfortably. She was well aware that the invitation to informality had not been extended to the dour man beside her, and wondered how even he could offend their new colleague so soon. The girl had only arrived today, for Merlin's sake! "Are you settled into your quarters Mi… err…" She cleared her throat and adjusted what she was about to say. "Auralynn?"

"Please, just Aura," Aura replied with a small grin. "And yes, I am settled in quite well. The rooms are absolutely beautiful!"

_And like a switch was flipped_, Severus thought somewhat sourly, _the happy, friendly girl is back. Lovely…_ Even his thoughts were more sarcastic and biting than normal. Something about her was sticking under his skin. She seemed familiar, now that he'd had time to contemplate it, but he could not place her face. He supposed it could simply be that they attended Hogwarts around the same time, but… he didn't really believe that. He could picture her as an adult easily, but her face as a student… No, even as young as she appeared now, it was the adult he remembered, not a child.

"Aura then," McGonagall said with her own small smile, "And are you ready for your classes dear?"

"Oh not yet," Aura responded between dainty bites of the wonderful stew, "but soon. After I've eaten, I will be going through everything in the classroom and my office. That way I can go over what is needed and what has already been provided. The text for the upper years was chosen well enough, but I'd already read and practically memorized it by my fifth year. If I remember correctly, some things are not covered as well as I would like in the selection."

"Memorized by your fifth year?" the older witch queried. Aura just laughed lightly.

"Ravenclaw, remember? Don't tell me you've forgotten my rather unfortunate habit of sneaking out after hours to read voraciously Professor?" she asked lightly. During her time as a student, the Head of Gryffindor – as well as a few other conscientious professors who actually _performed_ their duties in patrolling – had sent the shy little Eagle back to her tower a few points behind and with various detentions on more than one occasion. It was the only thing she'd done against the rules. Lissel, on the other hand, was always somewhat of a trouble maker. She'd never ventured out to the library at night. Instead, her focus was on setting up some rather nasty surprises for those students who thought to pick on Aura for being small and bookish. Aura's elder brother, Darius, had been on the receiving end, more often than not, during the few years the siblings attended Hogwarts together. And the muggle-born Hufflepuff was almost _never_ caught.

"I have not been your professor for a good many years, dear. Minerva, please," Minerva offered over Severus' rather acidic comment about the school hosting yet another "insufferable know-it-all." Brown eyes cast to his face, which was set in an intimidating scowl, telling him that his comment had not been missed, but Aura ignored it with alacrity.

"Thank you Minerva," she said. The two witches chatted amiably for the remainder of their meal, ignoring their less than enthusiastic table-mate and his biting sarcasm. Once or twice, Aura even found herself finding some small humor in his vitriol. Finally, the poorly attended luncheon was over and Aura begged off joining Minerva for tea, insisting she had a good deal of work to do. Severus watched her go with an even fiercer than normal look.

"I do believe she has grown up quite well," the older woman beside him said fondly. He sneered at her. "Come now Severus," she insisted, as indifferent to that sneer as she had been when he was a boy. "She is a very nice girl. A bit clumsy perhaps," she thought of the various spilled and knocked about things from their shared meal, "but kind. And knowledgeable in her field at least, which is more than can be said for that dreadful woman last year. Even _you_ cannot tell me you dislike her."

"_I_ do not like anyone Minerva, as you well know," he sniped, pointedly not looking to see her smirking at him.

"Yes, yes. I know," she said briskly. "Now, I do believe you still owe me a game of chess Severus." Then, knowing he would not gainsay her, she stood and walked off. With a mildly amused sigh, the dour man followed. At least if he was playing chess with the old cat, he would not be besieged by his other, less-than-desired cares for a bit. There was something to be said for intelligent distraction.


	2. Chapter Two: Making New Acquaintances

_Hello again! First of all, my thanks so very much to anyone who added/favorited my story. It means a great deal to me to know that there is someone out there enjoying my work. I hope y'all like this chapter too. I know it's a bit slow starting, but I'm setting up for a rather long, bumpy fic, and in the next chapter we begin the new semester of school and Aura's first teaching job. This is, as I'm sure you've already guessed, entirely AU. It takes place in Harry's sixth year and it will be what I think is a dramatic, somewhat angsty story for our two lovable spies._

_On another note, I realized I had no disclaimer. If y'all think I own this, I would recommend you contact your local psychologist (I'm still only a student, so I can't help yet. :P) and speak to him/her about these dangerous delusions. :D Oh… they might be mine. Lol. Sadly, I own nothing!_

_I hope you enjoy and would love to hear any and all thoughts, as always. Happy reading!_

_Blessings,_

_Fae_

Chapter Two: Making New Acquaintances

After returning to her chambers to pile her blond locks atop her head and change into a very old, very faded robe, Aura made the trek to her classroom slowly, so as to enjoy a little reminiscing. She made a point to turn the wrong direction a few times, for appearance's sake, but soon enough she was facing the old, iron-hinged door to her new domain. It creaked as it opened, causing a smile to rise to her lips at the absurd, would-be ominous sound. Her class certainly would not be ominous in any way, not with the cheerful demeanor she kept up around most people. Still, she was as fiercely determined that these students would learn what she could teach. She didn't know when they would see the end to the red-eyed monster she spent so much time dancing attendance on; they had to be prepared.

The class was bare, as she'd noted earlier. A swish of her wand opened the dreary, dust-filled curtains that hung over arched windows that were set back in the thick stone walls, allowing some light into the room. Another flick summoned branches of ever-burning candles, which were then charmed to float in neat rows above the rows of desks. With this done, she could better survey the space. The students' desks were a bit battered, but none were in need of replacement, and her own was well-made and fully stocked with parchment, quills, and ink. The first thing the meticulously organized former Ravenclaw did was pull out one of the sheets of parchment and writing utensils and seat herself in the surprisingly comfortable chair at her office desk. First things first: a list.

In her tiny, elegantly neat script – her mother had forced writing practice, among myriad other things, on her at a very young age, to ensure that her pure-blooded little lady would be elegant – she began two columns on the page. The first was an inventory of the room, as well as her office, which was found to be as woefully lacking as the classroom. The second: a list of supplies for lessons and for the classroom in general. The second list was far longer than the first. In addition to filling the bare bookshelves on one wall with her own personal tomes, she intended to magic some posters she'd seen at Flourish and Blott's onto the walls. They would have to be ordered, but hopefully would not be too expensive.

_Hmm_, she mused, reading over her list again. _Books I've got in plenty. Posters can be bought. But… something for the practical lessons…_ Her curricula would be tweaked to fit each year as she discovered what her students had already learned. From what she'd been told, the previous lessons were… sporadic, to say the least. _There is supposedly a curse on the position_, she remembered with a rather inelegant snort of derision. While it was possibly true, curses were little more than a refined, darker branch of Charms, and all could be broken eventually. And charms were her specialty.

Once the organization was done, Aura set to cleaning the rooms thoroughly with a combination of magical and non-magical means. Perhaps an hour after she'd started, a light knock on the doorframe of the open door sounded. She glanced up from her position, where she was scrubbing at a particularly stubborn (and rather disgustingly unidentifiable) stain on the bottom-most shelf of one of the bookcases, to find herself being stared at by a pair of wary amber eyes, set in a tired face. The man looked friendly enough, but as if he was sizing her up. She wasn't sure if she was being found wanting.

"Hello…" she greeted with a note of question in her smooth voice, "Can I help you sir?"

"My apologies, I am looking for Auralynn Farrow," he said politely. Like his face, his voice was kind, if a little worn. Slowly, Aura dropped the old-fashioned scrub brush into a nearby bucket and stood, wiping her hands on a towel she'd set by her feet.

"I am Auralynn," she acknowledged as he continued to watch her. She had to wonder what exactly his keen eyes were looking for. "What can I do for you sir?"

"Ahh…" he hedged, a little taken aback. This was unexpected. She did not look old enough to be a professor and he certainly couldn't see why a pure, old-blooded witch was dressed in a ratty old robe and on the floor, scrubbing things the muggle way... In fact, upon seeing her, he'd assumed she was some sort of a servant to Miss Farrow. Aura blushed at his obvious surprise at her identity. She'd not expected to be interrupted, as it was her first day in the castle and only a few even knew of her presence. Of those few, only one would be likely to visit her in her classroom, and _she_ was most likely in her quarters enjoying her tea, as planned. Suddenly, the man seemed to become aware that he was making her uncomfortable, because he stepped into the room and moved toward her with just the hint of a limp, hand extended.

"My name is Remus Lupin," he said as she took it. "Pleasure to meet you." _Lupin… Lupin…_ She searched her memory for the name that rang a bell. _Ah_, she realized, _the Defense professor from a few years ago. The only one worth his salt, if rumor is to be believed._ In the back of her mind, she was taking inventory of her knowledge on this man. _Werewolf, bitten when he was young. A member of the Order. Spoken highly of by the Headmaster. A Gryffindor who was a few years ahead of me in school. One of the closest companions of Lily and James Potter, parents to the boy-who-lived. Taught Defense Against the Dark Arts for only a year before the nature of his condition was let slip, likely by Severus Snape_. More than that, she did not know.

"The pleasure is mine Mr. Lupin," she replied with a small smile. As a member of the Headmaster's illustrious group, she could certainly understand why he'd be wary of anyone bearing the name Farrow. "What can I do for you?"

"Actually," he said, returning her smile with a small one of his own, "I think it's what I can do for you. Albus contacted me, said there was another new Defense professor." There was a wealth of amusement in his voice, echoed in his look. So, he was aware of the nature of the position she'd taken. "It seems that after last year's… er… _unique_ approach to teaching the class, he was hoping I could give you a bit of insight into the abilities of your students."

"I _had_ noticed that someone apparently wanted to remove every hint of the person who previously held my office," she said wryly, wrinkling her nose a bit. With her sweet tone and obvious humor, Remus relaxed a bit.

"Yes, well," he said, allowing a small grin to spread, "if anything I've been told is to believed, that office was fairly ghastly. I believe Harry mentioned an overabundance of pink and something about kittens..." She returned his grin.

"Well I would be immensely grateful for any insight you could provide, Mr. Lupin." It was an honest statement. Of all the things on her plate right now, the teaching was what had her nervous. Everything else she was familiar with. The Headmaster, the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord… she'd been dealing with them for long enough to be accustomed to them. But the soon-to-arrive students… She hadn't fit in with them as a student herself, and she was unsure of how effective she would be as an instructor of more than one or two children at a time. "Would you come up to my office? I assure you, there is no pink to be seen. As for kittens… Unless you count my familiar, who has made himself scarce since I arrived, and hasn't been a kitten for a good few years, then you are safe."

Remus nodded, a little bemused. Even from this as of yet short interaction, he _liked_ her. When Albus had flooed him, asking him to meet with Miss Farrow, he'd been more than a little apprehensive. Set aside the natural prejudice nearly every witch and wizard had against him… Well… She was a _Farrow_. Enough said. Even Snape, in all his dark ire and lasting grudges, was preferable to someone from that family. They topped even the Blacks and Malfoys in their reputation.

He followed the short witch up the staircase and into the office, and accepted her offer of tea, which was quickly summoned by a house elf. Surprisingly enough, her demeanor to the elf was no less pleasant than to another person. They silently regarded one another for a moment, before Aura took it upon herself to break the tension.

"Mr. Lupin," she said frankly, "by all accounts, you are the only decent professor this post has seen in a good few years. I'm new. I will gladly take any advice you can give me, and thank you for it." His eyebrows shot up in surprise, begging a comment about how easy to read he was, but she stifled the urge. Now was not the time for teasing.

"I see," he answered neutrally. "And you have no objection to spending the time it will take to go over all the lessons with me?"

"Why on earth should I? As you clearly saw when you arrived, I am not doing anything of great importance. I assure you, scrubbing the floors can wait." Again, Remus was taken aback. Was she unaware of his condition? "Ah," she continued, seeing the look on his face, "You are not referring to my being busy then."

"Err… n-no, not really," he said, shaking his head at this odd witch. He simply didn't know what to make of her. All calm cheerfulness and easy – if slightly sarcastic – humor, she was absolutely nothing like he'd expected. Even James and Sirius (he tried to suppress the pang at the thought of his deceased friends) had had more pride than was good for them, and he'd thought it a natural side effect of a pureblood upbringing. But a proud witch did not scrub anything on her hands and knees, and she certainly didn't offer polite greetings and easy humor to a _werewolf_.

"Mr. Lupin?" Aura said, breaking into his thoughts. The look on her face told him it wasn't the first time she'd tried to gain his attention.

"I'm sorry Miss Farrow. I was… eh… Sorry." Aura smiled gently. His polite manner was quite refreshing and a bit of a surprise. And his awkwardness was rather endearing.

"Please, call me Aura. And it's quite alright," she replied. "I'm sure it is a bit difficult to be back here after the way you were forced to leave." The statement was deliberately calculated to bring his condition into the conversation and get it out of the way now so they could proceed past it. If it continued to hamper their interaction, she'd never learn what she needed to know from him. Dumbledore had kindly sent her this man to help ease her into teaching, and she intended to make use of the thoughtful gesture.

"Yes well…" he coughed, "Err… that is…"

"I was quite disappointed with general public's reaction," she continued as if she didn't notice his discomfort. "As I said, I've heard nothing but good of you." Again, her words had the desired effect, though they did cause the man in front of her to gape.

"Y-you were…" he choked a little, stunned by her calm acceptance of him. He'd been rather afraid of meeting her when Dumbledore asked it of him, having no desire to face another cruel, ignorant person. And yet, she didn't even know him as his friends who accepted it did, and she didn't seem at all bothered. Aura merely regarded him levelly and waited for him to regain his composure.

"That is not… a common view, Mi- er… Aura," he finally said, stumbling a bit over the informal address.

"I am aware," she replied smoothly, but instead of the cool smoothness she employed when in her other role, this was a compassionate, kind smoothness. As she hoped it would, it seemed to soothe the man across from her a bit. At least, it allowed him to relax his rigid posture and some of the wariness left his eyes, softening them to a warmer light. Suddenly, and with her own jolt of surprise, Aura realized that not all of said wariness had been because of the reputation attached to her name. _Insecure then_, she noted, _but who could blame him? He's likely faced a good deal of cruelty for something he never had any control over._ Aloud, she continued uncharacteristically bluntly, "I do not think Lycanthropy makes a man a monster, Mr. Lupin. The particular deficiency of being monstrous is often purely human."

With that, he finally relaxed the rest of the way into his normal easy, unassuming manner. With an inward smile, Aura noted that he looked a good deal less tired than when he'd first entered her classroom. She had to wonder how much of that tiredness she'd seen was nothing more than anxiousness at the way he'd be received.

"You are a very kind woman, Aura," he said sincerely, "And please call me Remus. Now, let's go over the syllabus."

The two professors, former and current, spent the next two hours poring over everything defense-lesson related possible. For her part, Aura was glad that the most well-liked defense instructor the school had seen in years approved of her lesson plans. For his, he was glad to see that the woman who would be teaching the students how to arm themselves against darkness was more than just an unknown, potentially dark witch from a family with an insidious reputation.

Finally, Aura sat back, satisfied that she was far more prepared than she had been previously.

"Thank you Remus. I can't tell you how much more comfortable I am now. To be honest, when the Headmaster contacted me I was very flattered, but…"

"Uncertain," he supplied knowingly.

"Very much so," she agreed, dropping the quill on the desk. Her hands were stained with ink, Remus saw with some amusement, and there was even a small stain on her cheek. She didn't seem to be aware of either. "I've only ever taught as a private tutor." He eyed her, a little confused.

"It is uncommon, is it not, for a… er… witch of your standing to choose to work?" he asked, comfortable enough with her now to do so. She was open and cheerful, easily embarrassed, a little clumsy, and very kind, he'd found as they worked together. And she was altogether too easy to talk to.

"It is," she laughed, "if said witch does not move out of her parents' home at seventeen and cut all ties." His eyes widened.

"Ah. Yes, I suppose that would make it necessary."

"You were quite surprised when you saw me scrubbing the book case, were you not?"

"A little, yes." He didn't say that he'd thought her a servant. "I admit, Aura, you are nothing like I expected," Remus said with a little self-directed amusement and chagrin. "May I ask why you were scrubbing it manually?" Here, Aura burst out laughing. She supposed it was odd for any witch or wizard to choose to do things the muggle way, let alone one who was brought up as she was.

"I've lived on my own, in an apartment hidden in Muggle London, since I left home," she explained, "Even with my work… Whenever I grew lonely or bored, I found that doing things manually took up time and proved distracting. After a while, it became habit." For a moment, Remus' eyes flashed with sadness for her. She'd spent a lot of time alone, he realized, to have discovered that doing things by hand was a way to distract herself from loneliness and boredom.

"And now?"

"Nervous energy," she said, grinning ruefully with a shrug. "I told you, I was quite apprehensive about my appointment, for all the beginning of term is three weeks off."

"Well, I am glad I could be of service then," he replied. Those words from most would sound sarcastic and biting. From this gentle-mannered man, they were straight forward, and sincerely meant. It was quite a refreshing change from her normal interaction with Dark witches and wizards, and even from Albus Dumbledore, who – for all his goodness – was manipulative and, at times, a harsh taskmaster.

After relaxing with a second pot of tea and steering the conversation away from awkward or school-related topics to more neutral ones, Remus bid his new friend goodbye and left as quickly as he'd come. Aura glanced over his notes again after he left, but soon turned her attention back to that stubborn spot on the bookcase. Even with the new level of comfort in her post, she was more on edge than she'd ever admit aloud. Not all of her tension came from Hogwarts either. Scrubbing every inch of the class, as she'd originally planned, would ensure that when she returned to her room that night, she would be tired enough to sleep. Unfortunately, first she had to get through dinner with the other professors.

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Aura returned to her room only long enough to clean up before heading to the Great Hall, and she found it was nearly as empty as it had been at lunch. In addition to Minerva and Snape though, the headmaster and a short, cheerful-looking wizard had taken up seats at the table.

"Ah, Aura my dear," Dumbledore called a greeting as she slipped into the hall, "I had begun to wonder if you were going to miss the meal." His tone was not reproving at all, but the scowl on Severus' face was a tad bit intimidating, and the unknown wizard was eyeing her curiously.

"My apologies, Headmaster," Aura returned with a polite nod, almost a curtsy. It was an unfortunate habit after being raised in the highest pureblood circles, to conform to such old-fashioned tendencies. And the gesture did not go unnoticed. "I was working, and lost track of the time. I hope I've not kept anyone waiting." She could see well enough that they'd just sat down, but courtesy dictated the niceties. She received his assurances to the contrary as she carefully took the remaining seat, which was beside Minerva, but across from Severus. The positioning was unfortunate, with the dark man glaring at her, but the food looked hearty and appetizing, and she was rather surprised to find that – for once – she had a bit of an appetite.

"Aura," Minerva said as the younger woman filled her plate, "have you met our Charms Professor, Filius Flitwick?" Aura cast her gaze to the wizard seated beside the Potions Master with a smile.

"I have not. A pleasure, sir," she said, offering another polite nod.

"Are you here for the Defense post?" Flitwick questioned genially as they all began to enjoy the sumptuous meal.

"Indeed I am."

"Miss Farrow only arrived today, and already she is proving most disruptive," Severus snarked, not even picking his head up from its fixed line of sight at his plate. At the name, the Charms Master's eyes widened a bit, but he was too polite to comment. Aura allowed a blush to rise to her cheeks at his look, and concentrated on her own dinner. Now was certainly _not_ the time to engage in a verbal sparring match with her sneering colleague, however much she longed to bait him as he was trying to do to her.

"Filius," Minerva said to break the tension, "Aura was a student here only three years behind Severus, and from what I remember, she was quite adept at Charms." The new professor gave her recently gained friend a grateful grin.

"I don't know about being 'adept', but I do certainly enjoy charm-work," she hedged.

"Now, now, my dear Auralynn," Dumbledore chided. It was rather a wonder he'd kept silent thus far. "You are too modest. Your accomplishments are many and varied."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Aura said shyly.

The remainder of the dinner hour proved to be congenial, despite Severus' attempts to harass and intimidate the new professor. Aura kept her temper by reminding herself that much of his surliness could likely be attributed to his double-role. Like her, he spent much time in the Darkness, solely for the benefit of the Light. Soon though, she knew that – unlike her – he would be freed to declare his allegiances. Still, she was rather certain that, if his temperament was due to his position, it was only a small part of a whole, fairly unhappy man that made him so. She'd known that much by mere observation.

Once the desert was eaten and the remainder cleared away, Aura bid the others a good evening and retreated to her calming rooms. Ares, her cat – who had slipped away onto the grounds for his own pleasure the moment they'd arrived, and hadn't even accompanied her into the castle – was stretched out on the sofa in front of the blazing fire.

"Fancy meeting you here, your _majesty_," she sniped at the feline. One baleful eye opened, he wrinkled his face up and let out a yowl, and then promptly returned to his slumber. Aura stroked his snow white fur affectionately before moving into her bedroom to divest herself of her robes. Clad in long flannels and an oversized muggle tee-shirt, she returned to collapse onto the couch beside her familiar. Ares was a very handsome cat; long and lean, he was solid white with the exception of the tips of his ears, the tip of his tail, and one paw, which were all a light tan color. He had beautiful, piercing gold eyes that Aura was almost certain could see straight into her mind sometimes, so good was he at reading her mood. He was also dead useful, even more so than an owl would be. While he had little, if any, kneazle blood in him, he was the smartest little cat she'd ever met. On one occasion, he'd even fetched help once when she was collapsed in an alleyway off of Diagon Alley. Where he'd found the still unknown wizard or how he'd led him to her, she'd never figured out

"It is going to be a long year Ares," she remarked idly before picking up the book she'd deliberately left on the sofa-table before going to dinner. A muggle tome, which would have her parents spinning in their graves and prompt either of her brothers to 'teach her a lesson in duty', it had her completely enraptured. The story was that of a young orphan girl, who'd grown up to become a governess after being cast out of her aunt's home. As the governess to a young French girl, she was, at this point in the tale, falling in love with the girl's caretaker.

Jane Eyre, the title proclaimed it. Aura had never read it before, but she was enjoying it immensely. It was a few hours later when Ares woke his mistress, who'd fallen asleep, book in one hand and the other occupied scratching his ears. Cat and witch moved into the bedroom, and Aura all but collapsed onto the wondrously soft mattress. The blankets were warm, and smelt faintly of lavender and mint, an excellent combination for warding off nightmares. Of course, hers would not be sent away, but still… it was a nice scent.

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The next morning, Aura woke to cheerful rays of sunshine on her face. The charmed window showed her a magnificent view of the lake, but it was lost on the woman, who was certainly no morning person. With a groan, she rolled out of the bed, only to be met with the distinct, disgruntled hiss of a white cat, who until then, had been curled up at his mistress' side and was now being knocked to the floor.

"Sorry Ares," she mumbled nearly incoherently.

Getting dressed and prepared for the day did not take long, and soon she was on her way to the Hall for breakfast. At the last moment, Aura contemplated veering off to the kitchens and avoiding any people who might be in the communal room – especially one Severus Snape – but decided against it. With so few people in the massive castle, she would surely be missed.

So, it was a very quiet, subdued young woman who took her seat beside Minerva once again. It was only she, Filius, and Aura at the table, which was quite a relief. The thought of dealing with a snarky Potions Master this early was not an appealing one. With a muffled greeting, she took her seat and began filling her plate. It wasn't until two cups of strong tea and a few pancakes later that she was willing to speak. From there, she began the process of getting to know her colleagues.


End file.
